Its four-year reign was brief and tumultuous, with a high representing what could have steadily been if ambitions had not exceeded expenses. But perhaps its greatest legacy is that it sparked one of Long Island MacArthur Airport’s development cycles, attracting passengers and, ultimately, other carriers, putting the fledging airfield, which had continually striven for identity and purpose, on the map. The airline had the globe-suggesting name of Northeastern International Airways with the unlikely two-letter code of “QS,” although it never stretched further than the West Coast. And its founder was Stephen L. Quinto.

Born on July 8, 1935 in the Bronx, but raised on Long Island, he could certainly identify with the roots of his eventual enterprise, and his exposure to aviation came before his teenage years, at the age of 12, when his older brother started his own air service. Like father, like son, the saying goes, yet in this case it was closer to “like brother, like brother.”

His brother’s reign, at least characterized by his life, was also brief, since he subsequently succumbed to a military aircraft accident. Despite the tragedy, the event could have been the seed that grew into Quinto’s own aviation undertaking in a turn-pain-into-purpose philosophy.

“I think that probably had a great deal to do with looking at what this business is all about,” he later remarked.

Yet two decades passed before that seed could take root, during which time his pursuits ended in unsuccessful completion.

As honorable as it was, his appointment to the US Military Academy at West Point was a nonevent, because he was too young to legally accept it-by all of seven days! His other educational endeavors, including those at the University of Michigan, New York University, the Polytechnic Institute in Brooklyn, and Pratt University, were also impressive and at least enabled him to leave a footprint on their campuses, but he walked away without a degree from any of them.

Seeking to escape it all, he moved to France for a decade, but it was on this side of the Atlantic, specifically in England in 1968, that his aviation seed finally sprouted wings with the Sagittair Company he established. It would be the first of three. The last, as already hinted, rose from his home soil of Long Island, emphasized by its inclusion in the name of the very airport that would become its operational base, Long Island MacArthur. Until his airline’s fleet-initially consisting of a single airplane-appeared on its tarmac, no one had heard of it. Then, again, the airport itself was hardly world-renown.

Constructed in 1942 as a result of Congress’s Development of Landing Areas for National Defense (DLAND), it was originally intended as a military facility sparked by the outbreak of World War II and could be used for civil purposes during times of peace. Because it was initially considered an appendage to military aviation, its commercial counterpart was viewed as a segment of the national defense system.

That commercial purpose was realized, albeit in limited form, before the end of the decade when a 5,000-square-foot passenger terminal was constructed and air taxi operator Gateway Airlines commenced scheduled service to Boston, Newark, and Washington with 11-passenger de Havilland Doves and 15-passenger Herons in 1956.

As the long-envisioned reliever airport to JFK and La Guardia, it inched toward this goal ten years later when a more ambitious, 50,000-square-foot oval terminal was built to handle the mostly morning business rush to Albany, Boston, and Washington with USAir BAC-111-200s and DC-9-30s and to Chicago with American Airlines’ 727-100 Astrojets.

Another long-term goal, as revealed by market studies, was the establishment of nonstop Long Island-Florida service to facilitate travel of those wishing to visit their sunshine state retired parents and tap into the tourist trade seeking winter warmth. Airline deregulation and Quinto made both possible.

Leasing a former Evergreen International DC-8-50, registered N800EV, and operating it in a single-class, 185-passenger configuration, he inaugurated Long Island MacArthur (Islip)-Ft. Lauderdale service on February 11, 1982, charging low, unrestricted fares. As an intercontinental aircraft, its relatively low fuel uplift, combined with a full passenger and baggage complement, enabled it to use 5,186-foot Runway 33-Left, from which it climbed out over Lake Ronkonkoma and departed Long Island over its South Shore, while complementary soft drinks and snack baskets of peanuts, cheese and crackers, sandwiches, and fresh fruit were served in the cabin. Checked baggage was included in the fare.

The initial schedule entailed four weekly rotations to Ft. Lauderdale and a single one to Orlando, although a second aircraft, registered N801EV, made increased frequencies and destinations possible.

In its first year of operations, it carried more than 150,000 passengers and ended the period on a high note by transporting a monthly record of 32,075 in December, a figure attributed to weather-caused, Florida-bound flight cancellations at the major New York airports and the subsequent bus transfer of stranded flyers to Islip.

The Long Island airport’s own statistics were also promising, with 3,071 annual air carrier movements and 250,406 passengers in 1982, since it could now boast three pure-jet operators after American and USAir.

Quinto attributed his carrier’s initial success to the trusted and proven concepts of service quality and low, unrestricted fares, along with filling a market gap that had been hungry for years. For this reason, Northeastern adopted the slogan of “:A lot of airline for a little money” and, because it served the hometown airport of MacArthur, eliminating the commute to either JFK or La Guardia for eastern Nassau and Suffolk County residents, it also toted, “We’re one step closer to home.”

Although its corporate headquarters was located in Ft. Lauderdale, Long Island remained its operational base. After leasing two 128-passenger former Pan Am 727-100s, which were draped in pink and blue cloud liveries, it offered seven daily departures from Islip to Ft. Lauderdale itself, Hartford, Miami, Orlando, and St. Petersburg, which was a secondary airport to Tampa. Nonstop flights were also offered from the Connecticut airfield.

Low-fare, deregulation-sparked momentum, once initiated, could not be arrested. The following year, which entailed the acquisition of three longer-range DC-8-62s-including N752UA from United Air Leasing, OY-KTE from Thai Airways International, and N8973U from Arrow Air-saw service to 11 destinations and the annual transport of just under 600,000 passengers.

Long Island MacArthur Airport, with which it was inextricably tied, also reaped financial reward, recording 6,597 air carrier movements and a 546,996-passenger throughput in 1983.

Yet, deviating from its thus far successful strategy and ignoring the tried-and-true “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy, Northeastern elected to tackle the big boys at airports such as JFK and acquire widebody aircraft, ultimately operating transcontinentally. The widebodies themselves came in the form of four Airbus A300B2s in 314-passenger single-class, eight-abreast configurations: D-AIAD from Lufthansa in January (1984), D-AIAE from Lufthansa in February, F-ODRD from Airbus Industrie in May, and F-ODRE from Airbus Financial Services, also in May. It became the second US airline after Eastern to operate the European type.

The strategy may have elevated the low-cost carrier with Long Island roots to a big player, but its overexpansion was defeated by insufficient cash flow. Although it had earned $64.7 million in revenues in its fiscal year ended on March 31, 1984, it recorded a $5.2 million loss.

Its nonfinancial statistics told another story. By the summer, it operated 66 daily flights to 17 US destinations with a three-type, 16-strong fleet, including 727-200s from the likes of Mexicana de Aviacion and VASP, and employed 1,600 personnel. During the first half of the year, it recorded the highest load factor, of 71.5 percent, of any US airline, and in May became the 18th largest as measured by revenue passenger miles.

Although Long Island MacArthur was still its flight base, New Orleans had become its principle hub, with service to 15 cities. The large-capacity A300s were deployed on the east coast from JFK to Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, and Orlando and on the one-stop southern transcontinental one from Miami to Los Angles via New Orleans itself.

Yet gravity was not the only element to cause an airborne object to descend, even those with wings. Finances equally provided-or, in this case, nullified-lift, sparking a rapid descent. Another $4.4 million was lost during the third quarter that ended on September 30, 1984 and with it began the survival-mode strategy of eliminating aspects which could no longer be monetarily supported, including the layoff of 450 employees and the return-it was actually a repossession-of the A300 fleet.

Viewing his once rapidly rising carrier as a jigsaw puzzle, Quinto attempted to keep its picture whole without its forcibly removed pieces and replace them with what he could scrounge. Ten former Braniff 727-200s, which were vitally needed to quench the thirst of the winter sun-seeking market during the 1984-1985 season, were promising replacements. However, a Dallas judge ruled that this sublease of airplanes and crew would have violated the terms of Braniff’s own bankruptcy reorganization agreement.

Like plugs pulled from Northeastern’s rapid rise, the lights outlining its structure blacked out. Destinations were eliminated, reservation lines were severed, flights were cancelled, bills were not paid, and passengers were left stranded. And on January 3, 1985, the three-year, low-cost carrier fell to the same fate as Braniff, filing for Chapter 11 in a Miami Bankruptcy Court with $28 million in assets and $48 million in liabilities. It owed some $15 million to more than a thousand unsecured creditors and could no longer meet its employee payroll.

“I don’t know who to blame,” Quinto told reporters at the time. “All I can tell you is that we have an awful lot of paper, but no cash.”

Northeastern never rose to its former, but brief glory again, although Quinto gave heart and soul trying. Likened to a “junkyard dog,” he made continual effort to piece scraps together and keep his enterprise airborne, which he did sporadically, despite the bankruptcy filing.

A single no-frills flight, from Islip to Ft. Lauderdale at a $69.00 fare, strung an aerial thread down the east coast, but with gradual regrowth, the four major Florida cities of Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, St. Petersburg, and West Palm Beach were linked to Chicago as well as Islip and Philadelphia, albeit for a $20.00 higher fare, until the plug was once again pulled in March, when it missed an aircraft lease payment.

Four months ensued before it was in the sky again, on June 21, serving the familiar Florida routes with 727-200s leased from United, although some sectors were sporadically operated by All Star Airlines and Emerald Air DC-9s on its behalf.

But its market had been intermittently lost. Confidence was lost. Airplanes were lost. And its fares, as low as $49.00 to compete with the more established, familiar-name carriers, could hardly sustain it.

The last glimmer of hope came at the end of the year with a $1 million loan and the lease of a single MD-82 from Alisarda, registered HB-IKL. Yet its final light was doused in early 1986, drowned by liquidation, but not necessarily on the Long Island airport that had spawned it and to which its legacy had been left.

The biggest trend in the travel industry right now is vacation rentals, and this is evident in the nearly daily news story about how the vacation rental trend is experiencing both stunning highs as well as a few growing pains. If you happen to be traveling in Texas, and you’re looking for a great place to spend your time-off from work, you might look into the vacation rentals Bay Area Houston has to offer.

Why Bay Area Houston? Actually, the better question is where/what is Bay Area Houston? Bay Area Houston is the area nestled between the southeast of Houston & the Texas Gulf area near Galveston. Cities such as League City, Nassau Bay, Kemah, and Seabrook make up with goldmine of a destination. The big attraction happens to be the proximity to Houston, as it is one of the truly international cities in the U.S.. But even with the big city just down the road, what really makes Bay Area Houston stand out is the ability to get to a more relaxed environment that isn’t part of the usual city activity. The area is often referred to as “the boating capital of Texas”, and happens to have a stellar beach in Sylvan Beach.

OK. So, you’ve decided to take in the sights and sounds of Bay Area Houston, but you really want to know how to actually find the best vacation rentals the area has to offer. Here are a few tips:

Do A General Web Search – Although this may seem a little too obvious, be sure to take this step. You’ll find out just how big the impact is of vacation rentals to the travel industry, but you’ll also see just how much Bay Area Houston has to offer for all types of travelers. Using a corresponding zip code can also help (e.g., 77573 for League City or 77565 for Kemah).

Research the Area/Towns/Cities – As with any trip, get to know the area a bit before you go. You may find that some cities have more of what you’re looking for in terms of attractions, restaurants, and lodging options.

Proximity to Attractions & Amount of Travel – You’re only about 15 miles from Hobby Airport, but how do you plan on getting around in Bay Area Houston. You’re vacation rental choice might be dictated to you by how much you have to walk or drive, as well as how far you are from the stuff you want to see.

Budget – This is more of a bonus, general tip. Before embarking on any trip, you always want to be sure to set a budget. If you know how much you can spend, you’re less likely to overspend on your lodging. Luckily, there are many budget options in the area, so you’ll find something that works nicely.

If you’re looking for a great way to spend your next vacation with your family, be sure to include the vacation rentals Bay Area Houston has to offer, as well as the amazing amount of things to do in the area for all ages. As an added bonus, you do have some big-city fun in Houston nearby, just in case.

Traveling is one of the great ways we’ve learned to treat ourselves. Still, even though we look forward to the getting away, it’s the whole “knowing where I’ll stay” part that really can be a pain, and this of course means making hotel reservations.

Booking a hotel room is one of the hardest things in the world to do simply because if you’re not used to doing it, you’re really crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. Games of chance are fun once in a while but not when it comes to where you’ll be spending your time away from home. The crazy thing is that there are a number of folks out there who might find it weird that making hotel reservations would be such an arduous task.

After all, when it comes right down to it, technology has made it to where you can book your getaway lodging with apps on your phone. The customer, it seems, has the upper-hand on the whole process, right? Well, if you’re not a regular traveler, you’re basing your choice of hotel on reviews. You can exhaust your choices of review websites, with each one giving you something a little different. Moreover, take the time to look over reviews sometime, and you might find some of the most trivial reasons for poor reviews.

If you’re trying to book a hotel room, either for business or leisure, what can you do? Before becoming too forlorn, here are five questions you should answer prior to booking your next hotel room:

What is the purpose of this stay? Business or leisure seem to be the reason for most stays at a hotel, but the number of reasons can vary per visitor. Knowing the reason can help you figure out what you need out of your room.

Are you traveling with your family or not? Booking the right room in terms of beds, facilities, and services means saving money.

Do you require certain amenities? You can call the shots, and if there are certain amenities (e.g., pool, gym, etc.) you require, find the place that has you covered.

Does your stay require many extras? If you’re a barebones kind of traveler that doesn’t need much, you may find some great savings on basic hotel rooms.

Is proximity to a bigger metropolitan area a deal-breaker? The answer to this question depends on whether you need to travel into said big-city area. Sometimes being away from the action can be nice, but then again, your entire trip may be based on meetings in the heart of the city.

Hotel reservations shouldn’t be a hassle for anyone, regardless of the reason for the stay. In some ways, even if you’re traveling for more formal reasons, staying at a hotel should give you a chance to be a little more at ease. The best thing you can do is put together a plan of action before you go about making a reservation. Not only will you weed out hotels that don’t give you what you want, but you’ll ultimately find the right place for your needs without a hitch.

Lloret De Mar, situated in the region of Catalonia, Spain, is famous for its warm weather and sun all through the year. It is blessed with a Mediterranean climate which has warm summers and cool winter. It is the perfect summer party destination for young tourists who like to party all night and then head to beach the next morning to calm their minds. There is no dearth of sunshine in Lloret De Mar that makes it a perfect place to get tanned and sip your cocktail by the beach, just make sure you have plenty of sunscreen on because it can get really warm.

What temperature you may expect in Lloret De Mar

It really depends which time of the year you choose to go. The month of July and August are the hottest months with cold evenings, temperature being as low as 17 degrees Celsius. Mid-Autumn can see temperatures soaring as high as 33 degrees. The strong summer sun lasts from June to September; which makes it a favourable holiday time for tourists. 27th July is the warmest day of the year.

With all its beaches in Costa Brava, LLoret De Mar is at the centre. It receives about 13 hours of sunshine in summer which allows tourists to enjoy the beaches more than the cool winter months. Winter sees an average of 7 hours of daylight. The cold water makes it difficult to swim and spend time at the beach, definitely not the right time to visit if you’re going just for sunshine and warmth. The best time to visit Lloret De Mar is from June to August. However, from September, the sun is not as harsh; expect rain but still a decent time for tourists.

Things to do in Lloret De Mar during a summer holiday

• Summer time is all about beaches. PPlatja deLloret, its main beach, is about half a kilometre long with sandy blue coarse sand. Enjoy the water-sports such as jet-ski, kayaking, parasailing and water skiing during your summer holiday.

• The capital of nightlife in Costa Brava is Lloret De Mar. As the sun sets, the streets are flooded with party lovers. There are so many pubs and bars that have queues of people standing out to get in. Make sure you’re dressed well to get inside some of the best clubs.

• Water World Sensation: Enjoy your summer holidays by getting in the two water parks with exciting water rides, wave pool and fun water rides for children. You would make many unforgettable memories with your family and friends, truly a holiday well spent.

• Since summer is the best time to visit, the weather allows you to hike beautiful mountains and enjoy the beauty of wild flowers at the coastal cliff.

• Santa Clotilde Garden, a breathtaking garden on a cliff, is one of the best tourist attractions during summer and spring time, with blooming flowers making it an absolute delight to y our eyes.

Lloret De Mar is rich in history. Its natural heritage, picturesque sunset points, walking trails and cultural events can be enjoyed to the fullest if you visit from mid-June to September.

With all the chaos, turmoil, and just “bad news” that we are saturated with every day, and seemingly every minute of every day, it’s no wonder that people look for an escape… even if that escape is only the “fantasy” of discovering a long-lost hoard of gold, silver, and jewels. Wouldn’t it be nice to unearth a chest so valuable that you could leave all the chaos and turmoil behind and just live in peace, not worrying about what is happening across the country or around the world? Sure it would. I think we all would “take the money and run.” If only it were that easy. A lot of people, though, find that the “hunt” of discovering a treasure provides just such as escape, and is not at all out of reach… depending of course on what your treasure is.

If “treasure” to you means one of Captain Kidd’s buried chests of pirate booty, then you may have a long hard search ahead of you (although such a worthy endeavor would certainly provide an escape into the world of treasure hunting). If, however, your “treasure” is time spent in the outdoors along a river, at a beach, a park, the mountains, or underwater, and your discovery consists of discarded relics, dropped coins, or evidence of history you’ve seen or held for the first time, then your search is likely to be fruitful and satisfying.

I cannot tell you what your “treasure” is. Only you can do that. I can, however, tell you what my “treasure” is. My treasure is discovery. My treasure is putting pieces of a historical puzzle together. My treasure is being where history happened and reliving the events attached to the ground. My treasure is not just identifying where something happened, but why it happened. I see history, not just as a collection of names, dates, places, and events, but as a connected series of causes and effects. There is probably no better example of this cause and effect relationship to history than the Battle of Gettysburg.

Being at that battlefield… where countless lives were forever changed or extinguished… walking the grounds in the footsteps of those soldiers brings the ground to life. I can feel the motivations that moved troops this way instead of that. Feel the desperation to capture ground, out maneuver your pursuers, and survive. Like no other place I’ve been, The Gettysburg Battlefield saturates you. This is what motivates me no matter where I go, and no matter what I’m searching for. When I evaluate the ground, find evidence of the event and “relive” the actions, I’ve found my treasure. And if I locate a trinket of the event, I get a true emotional boost from my efforts. I’m here to tell you, that you will get a sense of elation from finding a ox shoe from the mid-to-late 1800’s along an old pioneer wagon trail. It provides a connection… a sense of belonging… of roots. Sure, finding a box of money would be fantastic. But, just because I didn’t find that box… this time… doesn’t take away the feelings of accomplishment and connection that the old ox shoe provides. And the thing is anyone… everyone… no matter where you live… can participate in this “treasure hunt.”

In our over-regulated world, there is a substantial and vocal segment of the population bent on depriving you of the opportunity to discover, to search for your treasure. They have passed laws, regulated activities, prevented access, and labeled treasure hunters and treasure hunting with derogatory labels. In some places, just being there is “breaking a law.” Picking up discarded objects is a crime. Participating in work to recover gold, silver, and in some cases rocks and minerals is cause to “call in the law.” Two really simple things you can do are: 1) Obey whatever laws currently regulate an area, and 2) lend your support (voice, written, whatever) to prevent, modify, or repeal these outrageous regulations, and bring back reason and a sense of sanity.

Everywhere, from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific, pioneers, travelers, and adventurers of every kind sought new ground and a new life. Armies moved from here to there. Towns were built that were abandoned and crumbled to dust. But, the history is there. The evidence is there. Find the evidence; live the history; find your treasure. And if you happen to search for and find that box of money… don’t forget to share!

When winter comes along, it’s a little hard not to get a little discouraged by the cold. Then again, if you’re going to be spending part of your winter basking in the awesomeness of a ski lodge, winter may just be the best season of the year.

After all, there aren’t a lot of people who can say they’ve spent time in a ski lodge, and just the name itself elicits a certain amount of allure and luxury. And while this housing alternative certainly has a lot to offer to guests, there has been a greater push to have ski lodges and resort towns be more accessible to the regular guy just looking to ‘wow’ his family during the dreary months of winter.

If this is actually your first time heading out to a ski lodge, you may not be fully aware of what to do and what needs to be in place when you book your trip. This may seem like something stressful, but rest assured, it’s not necessarily too far off from the usual trip planning.

Here are five things you need to get taken care of when you’re about to book a ski lodge:

Set Dates & Schedule – Before you book any trip, you definitely want to know when you’ll be taking the trip and what type of schedule you’ll maintain during your trip. While this is important for all trips, ski getaways are massively popular, which means if you’re not really on the ball, you may not have a booking available.

Get Input from Your Family – Being able to form a trip schedule means knowing what activities you want to be a part of while your away. Get your family together and see what types of things everyone wants to do. You may find that you’re on the same page. Even better, ski lodges have great websites showing their amenities, a tour of their facilities, and a breakdown of things to do during your stay.

Plan Your Packing – This is mostly a note for parents who want to make sure their kids are packing what’s needed. However, if you’re a person that tends to be bad at packing, you might get some practice in, especially if you’re packing a little differently for your lodge.

Rent or Buy Gear? – If you’ll be doing skiing or snowboarding, for example, you might want to find out if it’s better for you to rent your gear or buy it. If you buy it before you leave, remember that you’ll have to figure out how to travel with it.

Decide How You Will Get Around – You only have so much time for your vacation period, so make the most of it. If you’re still trying to decide on a lodge, take into consideration how long it takes to travel there, whether you’ll rent a car there, and how far away from things your lodge stands. If too much time is used to travel & move around, it may not be the lodge for you.

Don’t be too taken back by the idea of booking a ski lodge for the first time. With these helpful hints, you’re sure to feel a bit more at ease. And even if you are a regular trip planner, these tips may actually be helpful in getting your mindset ready when booking season comes along. The most important thing to take away is to not fret too much every little thing. Look forward to having a great time and, most importantly, trying to figure out when you can start planning your next trip.